Saxophone



A. J. HILTON SAXOPHONE Filed Oct. 22, 1924 2 Shes-Sheet l !NVENTOR ATTORNEY Dec. 7,1926. 1,610,207

A. J. HILTON SAXOPHONE Filed Oct. 22,- 1924 2 Sneet-Sheec 2 AVERY J I{ILTGN, DE GLOUCESTEE, lJ?LSSA.CHSETTS.

SAXOPHONE.

Application. filed October 22, 1924.

This invention relates to improvements in general object of the invention berne; to provide a iccy arrangement that Will eliminate the mvlrward arrangement now in use and, Will :ilitate the manipulation oi the keys so that the iinger action is greatly improyed which Will permit rapid execution et musical passages.

.1knother object 01'' the invention pro xide mezzns =trzerehv the aide lie high notes (:2231 he operated irom certain hc other itevs and l: y a master lre v.

Another object oi the invention is to provide auxilia1g openings in the instrument Whieh are paired with certain ci the re openings and to control these r'lXll1l'fi' openings hy valves which are controlled trom the nraster ke v and by certain 01 the regular lreys so that the air passages are not impaired or obstructed and thus insure the production of open tones.

Another object of the invention is to provide means whereby the, side kevs or the keys for the high notes can be actuated independently of the ke vs to which the v are connected.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement et the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In describing my invention in detail, reference Will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters den.ote like or corresponding parts throughout the severul views, and in which:

Figure 1. is an elevation of part of a saxophone which is construeted in accordance with this invention.

Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a detail view showing how the master kev Will operate the octave kev. Figure 7 is a view of a modification. Figure 8 is a section on line 88 of Figure 7.

Scrial No 745m1.

Figure 9 is a sectional detail view showing one of the arm arrangements for holding the keys in open position Figure 10 is a section on line l l0 oi Figure 7.

Figure 11 is a perspective view of one of the keys shown in Figure 7 and used for independent operation of the high note valves.

Figure 12 is a detail view showing the connection between two of the sleeves shown in Figure 7,

Figure 13 in: a detail view showing the connection between the arm on the master key s-haft and the arm for the D kcy and Figure 14]: is a section taken on line 'l3-13 of Fig.

Saxophones and similar instruments now in use have some oi' the keys arranged at the side Off the instrument and the finger parts of these keys are so arranged that it is difiicult to obtain rapid execution of musical passages by the manipulation of these l eys. The valve openings in instruments as nmv constructed are also so arranged that falsc or artificiel fingering must be resorted to to produce certain notes xvhich impairs the air passages and renders it extremely diflicult to secure proper execution of musill passages. detects or disadvantages I eliminate the finger pieces on the stems of the side keys and provide means whereby these keys can he actuated irom certain ot the other l:e and I also provide auxiliary valvecontrollcd openings which are paired with certain et the other openings. In the drawings a portion et the horn is shown at 1 and the valves for the side openings are shown at 2, 3, and 4-. The stems of these valves are pivoced on a shaft 6. Each stem is engaged by a spring 7 Which tends to hold the valve in open position but said valves are normally held in closed position by means of an arm 8 having a cross piece 9 thereon Which engages the three stems, the arm being arranged on :1 rock shaft which is provided with a spring 11 which holds it in a position with the cross piece pressing upon the stems of the valves and forcing them upon their seats, this spring 11 being stronger than the springs 7. The lower end of the shaft 10 is provided with a finger piece 12 by which it can be rocked against the action of its spring 11. The valve 13 for the high E key has its stem 14.: rotatably mounted on the shaft 10 In order to overcome these \\'lllCll cunt3ols the A valve 30. An ami (il rests upon the arm 47 et tlie valve 2 and is connected v:rtl1 tire linlc 62 01 ll1o B l#cv 325.

'llhus tlre valves l, 3, 13" and '22 are conlmlled l y :he i'naslei' l#;ev and the i key, .z.\ l v and B lve a in the tirst :lorm. In addition l provide a lic; lever 63 for opening eacl1 valve directlv Each lgey lever is pro- 'x'id d vvith a at mie end and un upxvardlv prrdec m 65 al: its other 0nd, lliis pr nection engaging; the under surface ni a part oi caca valve. It Will l e seen, lmvvever, thatavhen tire lever for the valve 2 is operated the ii'iovenient ol this valve il "ill open the otlier valves due to tl1e projections 46. In other words vvl1en tl1e valve 2 i s opened by its ke v the other three valves will also l)e opened. lVl1en the valve :3 is opened l its l e y, valves 273 and 4 Will l e opened l ut valve 2 vvill romain closed. lllicn valve 3 is opened by its key, valve 4- vvill l:e also opened *vvhile valves 2 and 13' \.'ill renxa1n closed. \Vl1en valve 4; is

opened l v its l:ev lever the other valves Will reznain closed. From the lloregoing il: will l)e seen that the same results Wlll be secured in the n1odified lorm of the invention as tl1ose secured in ll1e first lorm and in add tion the liigli note valves at the upper end the device can lie nmnipulated by their own l;eys. ln ll1e second lorm of the inven tien the actions are reversed but the same rcsults secured.

By my key arrangement easy finger action is secured which prodnces rapidity of execution of l1inh tomes; these tone"s can be executed by a simple and legitimate fingering without the use et false or artificial lingerin;r. Said tones Wlll be open t0nes as the air assages will not lie impaired or brokcn by artificial fingrering regardless et the fact that tl1e G, A and B lieys are used for the excention ol these notes. These open tones are made possible by the use of: the auxiliarv ontlets, the valves ol which, Will worl; in conjunction with the regular valves but in reverse (l.c(l.i0n theretrom. lVhen the G, A. and B ivevs beinp; used for the pro duction o' rcgnlar notes or lovrer tones the an ,ar v means xvill remain inactive as tlie .Vlll thon lie under the control ol the master lcey.

What I claim is:-

1. In a musical instrument et clic reed type and inclnding high tome valves and lmver toue valves, anxiliarv valves associ ated with some ol the lmver tone valves, means for controlling some of the high tone valves irmn certain of the lovver tone valves, means lor controlling the auxiliary valves lrom certain et the lmver tone valves and means l'or holding llne higzh tone valves and the auxiliarv valves inactive while the low er tone valves are to be used alone.

2. In a musical instrument of the reed valves :From certain et tire lovver tone valves, means loi controllmg the auxilgarv valves frein certain et tire lower toue valves, a"

master kev lor holding the higli tone valves and tlxe auxiliarv valves inactive vvl1ilc the lmver tone valves are to be used al0ne, and an individual lze v zlior each higli tone valve.

4-. In a musical. instrument et the reed type and including liigli lone valves and lovver tone valves, auxiliarv valves associ ated Willi some et the lovrer tone valves, means for i11t10lliDg some of the higli toue valves lrom certain of the lovver toue valves, 1neans lier controlling the anxiliary valves lr0m certain ol the lower tone valves, a master key for holding the higli tone valves and the auxiliary valves inactive while the lower toue valves are to be used alone and means whereby a high tone valve will open when the master ke v is actuated.

5. In a musical instrument of the reed type and including hi,9;li tone valves and lmver tons valves, auxiliarv valves asscciated with some of the lower tone valves, means for controlling some 0l the high tone valves rom certain et the lower tome valves, means for controlling tlie auXiliary valves rom certain et the lower toue valves. a master key l0r holding the high tone valves and the auxiliarv valves inactive while the loxver tone valves are to be used alone and means lier actuating the octave key bv the master key.

6. In a musical instrument of the ,reed type and including liigh tome valves and lovver tone valves, auxiliary valves associated vvith some et the lower tone valves, means for controlling some of the: high tons valves from certain of the lovver tome valves, means for controlling the auxiliary valves lrom certain et the lovcer tone valves, a master l:ey for holding the high tone valves and the auxiliarv valves inactive while the lovrer tome valves are to l e used alonc, means wherebv a liigli tone valve will open vvhen tl1e mastcr l ev actnaled and means for actuating tl1e octave key by the master lzey.

7. In a musical instrument of the reed type and including high tome valves and mea :o;r eonlmllin some of the high toue valves from Ce1tam 0 lhe lovver tene valves, means for centrolling the auxiliary valves fvom certain 0l fl1e lovver tene valves, a masev l:ey :l"o1' holding the high tone valves and the auxiliarv valves inactive vvhile :tjhe levver tune valves are to be used al0ne, means vvhereav a high ene valve vvill open when the master key is actuated, 1neans for actuating the octave lzey by the master kev, and an individual key l'or each liigh tome ke. V

8, in a musical instrument 01: the reed type and ineluding liig h none valves and lovver tone valves, auxiliary valves associaled vvith seine of the lower cane valves, means for eontrolli1m somme et the high t0ne valves fron1 certain of the lower tons valves, means for controlling the auxiliary valves fr.om certain of the lovver tome valves, a mascer key for holding the high tune valves and the ziuxiliary valves inactive While the lmver tene valves are l 0 be used alone, a key 25 for actuating e:el1 high toyne valve, a proin en each liigh tone valve vvhieh ex le; over the next valve above so that the opening movement ef' 1'he upper valves Will l e eommuieated le the lmver valves of the lllgl; tome group.

In a musical instrument of the reed -e and including high toue valves and 01' 'tone valves, auxiliary valves as- :i master iej, for holding the high toue valves and the auxiliary inactive vvhile che lovver tune valves are to be used alone.

En testimony vvhereof I a.x my signature.

AVERY J. HILTON.

H1 sonne ef the l0vcer ;0ne valves, 

